Stable Block And Attached Forecourt Walls, Gatepiers And Gates At Merevale Hall

Stable block and attached forecourt walls, gatepiers and gates at Merevale Hall

This stable block was designed originally by Edward Blore between 1835 and 1842, but probably largely by Henry Clutton after 1842. It is constructed of regular coursed sandstone with slate roofs featuring moulded cornices and embattled parapets, gable parapets, and stone internal and ridge stacks. The building forms a U-plan adjoining Merevale Hall, with the buildings and walls together enclosing a courtyard.

The entrance front is two storeys with a facade of 3-1-1-3 bays. It has a high splay plinth, buttresses and angle buttresses. The projecting central bay features large angle piers and a chamfered segmental arch borne on paired large shield corbels. The gable parapet is coped with embattled kneelers topped with ball finials. Within the outer arch is a large chamfered and moulded arch containing a shaped shield panel and two small lights above. The gates are segmental arched, studded and panelled, sheltered beneath a plastered four-centred vault with moulded stone ribs. The flanking bays have small two-light chamfered mullioned windows with transoms to the ground floor, and embattled internal stacks in the angles. The outer three bays are set back and have blind slit windows.

On the left return side the ground falls away steeply. The rear wing displays a two-tier thirteen-bay arcade, mostly blind, of segmental-pointed arches applied to both the building and the retaining wall below. The right return has two ground-floor cross-windows and a window above. The rear wing comprises nine bays with buttresses and blind slit windows facing the forecourt.

Above the archway to the courtyard is a trefoiled arched panel bearing a coat of arms with small adjoining lights. A small square embattled clock tower stands to the left, comprising three stages with moulded string courses. The ground floor has a slit window; the second stage has a two-light window with hood mould continued as a string course to the left; the top stage displays a clock face in a square panel with hood mould surround and head stops. Adjacent is a slightly projecting doorway with chamfered jambs, corbelling and a segmental pointed arch, with windows to the left and above and a buttress to the right of the arch.

A further chamfered segmental pointed arched doorway features a plank door with a single light to the right and a two-light casement above. Windows throughout have chamfered surrounds and many retain glazing bars. The left wing comprises coach houses. The right wing has varied openings, some of which have been altered. The interiors were not inspected.

The attached forecourt walls vary in height and are finished with stone coping. The gatepiers are chamfered with ball finials. Large cast iron gates bear armorial cartouches. A large gatepier to the right has chamfered angle piers, halved Ionic capitals and a lantern. A low wall at right angles to the rear extends to a gateway featuring a moulded Tudor arch in a straight head with sunk spandrels, an iron gate and coped top. The forecourt wall runs from this gateway back to the porch of the house.